Badminton: Win lifts games hopes

By TERRY MADDAFORD

A hard-fought victory over Australian rivals Peter Blackburn and Rhonda Cator has kept Olympic badminton hopes alive for Dan Shirley and Tammy Jenkins.

A first-round 15-8, 11-15, 15-11 victory over the former world 10th-ranked pair might earn Shirley and Jenkins a place in the Olympic draw but that will not be confirmed until late next week when final world ranking points are released.

National coach Graeme Robson said both pairs were nervous before yesterday's clash at the Waitakere International tournament in Auckland.

"The Australians have already qualified in the men's and women's doubles," he said. "But this tournament is do-or-die for us.

"There were patches when both teams played well and others when the nerves showed through."

The 75-minute match evened the score between the pairs at 2-2.